Roller tool mounting and driving means



June 25, 1963 B. GROB ROLLER TOOL MOUNTING AND DRIVING MEANS Filed Sept. 9, 1957 zz/vzzvroza: fiezy'amz'n grab .diforngl f 3,094,888 ROLLER TOOL MDUNTING AND DRIVING MEANS Benjamin Grub, 1626 12th Ave, Grafton, Wis. Filed Sept. 9, 1957, Ser. No. 682,765 3 Claims. (Cl. 8016) This invention relates to high speed planetary rolling machines such as is disclosed in my co-pending US. Patent application Serial No. 499,571 which has now matured into US. Letters Patent No. 2,905,033 and more particularly to an improvement in a mounting and rotating means for forming tool roller similar to that disclosed in my co-pending US. Patent application Serial No. 583,694, which has now matured into US. Patent No. 2,807,178.

The present invention relates to a new and improved mounting and rotating means for a forming tool roller which is simple in form, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and extremely eflicient and effective in operation.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved roller tool mounting and rotating means which is simple in construction and which affords improved results.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved forming tool roller mounting and rotating means constructed in a manner to Withstand the heavy operating pressures with a minimum deflection of the tool.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved mounting and rotating means for a forming tool roller which eliminates the necessity of utilizing roller or pin bearing-s which are subject to fatigue as a result of the heavy impact forces to which they are subjected in the normal operation of the machine.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved mounting and rotating means for a forming too-l roller including integrally formed journals projecting from the opposite ends of the roller.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision in a roller tool mounting and rotating means of a driven element provided with a plurality of axially aligned roller shaft receiving grooves interrupting the circum-ferential surface of the element to form a bearing for the journals of the roller tool.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision in a roller tool mounting and rotating means of a pair of fixedly positioned members disposed in contact with the ends of the roller tool journals to retain the roller tool against axial movement.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a pair of spaced fixedly positioned ring elements each having an inner circumferential surface overlying the peripheral surfaces of the opposite ends of the roller tool journals to restrain radial movement of the roller tool under centrifugal force and impart rotation to the roller tool to minimize the contact friction between the tool and work piece during repeated cyclic engagement therebetween during the operation of the machine.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken on the line 1--1 of FIG. 2 through a roller tool mounting means constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on a line 2-'2 of FIG. 1.

Before entering into a detail description of the present invention it is believed that a brief description of the general operation of the machine will serve to emphasize 2 the importance of the new and improved structure of the present invention.

High speed planetary rolling machines of the type to which the present invention is particularly applicable include a stationary frame member and housing in which a driving head is rotatably journalled. A planet roller tool shaft is mounted in radially spaced relationship to the axis of rotation of the driving head so that rotation of the driving head effects the planetary movement of the roller tool. Planetary movement of the roller tool results in the periodic cyclic engagement between the roller tool and the work piece fed into the path of the roller tool to effect the incremental rolling of a groove extending lengthwise of the cylindrical surface of the work piece under the axial feeding movement of the work piece with respect to the roller tool. Since the work piece may be formed of relatively hard steel, and since the rolling method of forming the grooves. is effected without the removal of any material from the work piece, it will readily be understood that the impact shock between the rolling tool and the work piece will result in the transmission of high operating pressures between the several parts of the machine and more particularly on the rotating head which carries the roller tool.

The previously mentioned co-pending patent application Serial No. 499,571 discloses means for indexing the work piece with respect to the rolling tool to afford a simple and effective means whereby a series of circumferentially spaced grooves may be formed in the work piece. Since the present invention is directed primarily to the roller .t-ool mounting and rotating means, it is not believed that further reference need be made to the end results available with the use of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing, the high speed planetary rolling machine to which the present invention is applied comprises a stationary frame 9 to which a housing 10* is secured in properly adjusted position by appropriate means well known in the art. The housing 10 includes a pair of laterally spaced upright members 11 provided with axially aligned bores 12 each of which serve to receive and position a ring member 13 secured in any appropriate manner such as by pins 14 to the outer surface of annular members 15 each provided with axially aligned bores 16 which form bearings for a rotatable element 17 journalled therein. The bores 16 are provided with oil grooves 18 which are supplied with lubricant in a well known manner to maintain a film of oil on the bearings. The rotatable element 17 is maintained against axial movement by contact between inner surface 19 of the members 15 and outer surfaces 20 formed on the enlarged central portion of the rotatable element 17. The element 17 includes a splined bore 21 adapted to receive a splined shaft 22 which serves as a driving connection between a source of power (not shown) and a driving element attached in any suitable manner such as by a key 23 embedded in an extension 24 of the splined shaft 22.

The enlarged central portion of the rotatable element 17 is provided with a central annular groove 25 disposed between laterally spaced flanges 26. A plurality of axially aligned grooves 27 interrupt the peripheral surface of the laterally spaced flanges 26 and are disposed in circumferentially spaced relationship about the periphery of the flanges 26. One pair of the axially aligned grooves 27 serve as a bearing for a roller tool 28.

The roller tool 28 comprises a unitary structure including an annular rib 29 for intermittent forming engagement with a workpiece and a shaft extending from the opposite ends of the roller 28 to form a pair of outboard bearings 30. The shaft of the roller tool 28 which forms the outboard bearings 30 is retained against axial movement by the engagement of its outer ends with an annular bearing surface 31 formed on the inner surface of each of the members 15.

It should also be noted that each of the grooves '27 has aradius equal to that of the bearings 30 of the roller. tool 28 and an arcuate length which is not greater than one half of the circumference of the bearings 30. With this arrangement between the grooves 27 and bearings 30 it will readily be understood that the bearings provide a full support for the working load impressed upon them by the repeated penetrating engagement of the forming rib 29 of the roller tool 28 with the workpiece.

The ring members 13 are each provided with inner cylindrical surface 32 which overlies the peripheral surface of one of the bearings 30 of the roller tool 28. Radial movement of the roller tool 28 under centrifugal force is restrained by contact between the periphery of the bearings 30 and the inner cylindrical surface 32 of the ring members 13. In addition to restraining radial movement of the roller tool 28, the frictional contact between the peripheral surface of the bearings 30 and the cylindrical surface 32 of each of the rings 13 imparts a rotating movement of the roller tool 28 to insure the presentation of different portions of the annular rib 29 in its repeated engagement with the surface of the workpiece to minimize the frictional contact therebetween and afford improved results.

To assemble the parts in desired relationship, the roller tool 28 is positioned within central annular groove 25 of the element 17 with the outboard bearings 30 disposed in a pair of axially aligned grooves 27 which interrupt a peripheral surface of the laterally spaced flanges 26 of the element 17. The bores 16 of the members 15 are then lslidably positioned over the ends of the rotatable element 17 with the inner surface of the ring members 13 overlying the peripheral portions of the outboard bearings 30 of the roller tool 28. Anchoring plates 33 are fixedly secured to the outer surface of the upright members 11 by means of cap screws 34 and cap screws 35 serve to anchor the annular members 15 in fixed position with respect to the plates '33. The machining of the several parts is maintained to a degree of accuracy which results in a nicety of fit between the assembled parts which precludes axial movement of the roller tool 28 with respect to the fixedly positioned housing to insure uniform accuracy of the repeated penetrating engagement of the forming rib 29 of the tool 28 with the workpiece.

The repeated penetrating engagement between the forming rib 29 of the roller tool 28 is efiected by rotation of the splined shaft 22 through an appropriate driving means such as shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 499,571 which has now matured into US. Letters Patent No. 2,905,033.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawing, it will be noted that the axially aligned grooves -27 which interrupt the peripheral surface of the laterally spaced flanges 26 of the rotatable element 17 are disposed in spaced relationship about the circumference of the flanges 26. From experience, it has been found that a single roller tool will serve adequately to effect the desired operation on the workpiece. Hence, the provision of a plurality of axially aligned grooves 27 disposed in spaced relationship about the periphery of the flanges 26 serve to provide a means for altering the position of the roller tool 28 after long periods of use have resulted in undue wear upon any particular pair of grooves 27 so that inaccuracies may be quickly rectified by changing the position of the roller tool 28 from one pair of grooves 27 to another.

From the foregoing description of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that the new and improved mounting and rotating means for the roller tool provides a simple and effective means for maintaining a high degree of accuracy in the work accomplished in a high speed planetary rolling machine. The several cooperating elements of the devi are chined to close tolerances and when assembled they insure precision operation of the machine in incrementally forming a series of circumferentially spaced grooves in the peripheral surface of a workpiece.

It should also be understood'that the axially aligned grooves formed in the periphery of the rotating element provide a full bearing surface which may be supplied with a film of oil, in any approved manner, to accommodate the heavy load pressures imposed upon the bearing surface as a result of the repeated penetrating contact between the groove forming rib of the roller and workpiece.

It should also be noted that the annular inner surface of the fixedly positioned rings which overly the peripheral portions of the ends of the roller journals serve to restrain radial movement of the roller under centrifugal force and simultaneously impart rotating movement to the roller during its planetary movement.

While the particular advantages of the present roller tool mounting and rotating means have been described in considerable detail in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its embodiment without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a high speed planetary rolling machine includ ing a stationary frame the combination of a roller tool mounting and driving means, said mounting and driving means comprising a housing secured to the frame, an element rotatably mounted in said housing, a pair of laterally spaced axially aligned substantially semi-circular shafts receiving grooves interrupting the peripheral surface of said rotatable element, a shaft journalled for rotation in said axially aligned grooves, said grooves serving to retain said shaft against inward radial movement, a roller tool formed integrally with said shaft and disposed intermediate its ends, a pair of spaced fixedly positioned members secured to said housing, an inner cylindrical surf-ace on each of said members respectively contacting and overlying a peripheral portion of said shaft at opposite sides of said roller tool, said cylindrical inner surface on said fixedly positioned members serving to restrain outward radial movement of said integrally formed shaft and roller tool and frictionally drive the same under the influence of centrifugal force imparted thereto through rotation of said element, and said axially aligned shaft receiving grooves simultaneously serving to restrain inward radial movement of said integrally formed shaft and roller tool whereby the radius of the planetary path of travel of said roller tool remains fixed at all times.

2. In a high speed planetary rolling machine including stationary frame the combination of a roller tool mounting and driving means, said mounting and driving means comprising a housing secured to the frame, an element rotatably mounted in said housing, a pair of laterally spaced axially aligned substantially semi-circular shaft receiving grooves interrupting the peripheral surface of said rotatable element, a shaft journalled for rotation in said axially aligned grooves, said grooves serving to retain said shaft against inward radial movement, a roller tool form integrally with said shaft and disposed intermedilate its ends, a pair of fixedly positioned members secured to said housing, a bearing surface on one face of each of said members respectively contacting the opposite ends of said shaft to retain the same against axial movement, and a pair of ring elements on said fixedly positioned members, a cylindrical inner surface on each of said ring elements respectively contacting and overlying a peripheral portion of said shaft at opposite sides of said roller tool, said cylindrical inner surface of each of said fixedly positioned ring elements serving to restrain outward radial movement of said integrally formed shaft and roller tool and frictionally drive the same under the influence of centrifugal force imparted thereto through rotation of said element, and said axially aligned shaft receiving grooves simultaneously serving to restrain inward radial movement of said integrally formed shaft and roller tool whereby the radius of the planetary path of travel of said roller tool remains fixed at all times and the heavy impact load of the cyclic engagement between said roller tool and workpiece is carried solely by said axially aligned shaft receiving grooves.

3. In a high speed planetary rolling machine including stationary frame the combination of a roller tool mounting and driving means, said mounting and driving means comprising a housing secured to the frame, an element rotatably mounted in said housing, a pair of laterally spaced axially aligned substantially semi-circular shaft receiving grooves interrupting the peripheral surface of said rotatable element, a shaft journalled for rotation in said axially aligned grooves, said grooves each having a radius equal to that of said shaft and an arcuate length not greater than one half of the circumference of said shaft, said grooves serving to retain said shaft against inward radial movement, a roller tool formed integrally with said shaft and disposed intermediate its ends, a pair of fixedly positioned members secured to said housing, a bearing surface on one face of each of said members respectively contacting the opposite ends of said shaft to retain the same against axial movement, and a pair of ring elements on said fixedly positioned members, a cylindrical inner surface on each of said ring elements respectively contacting and overlying a peripheral portion of said shaft at opposite sides of said roller tool, said cylindrical inner surface of each of said fixedly positioned ring elements serving to restrain outwardly radial movement of said integrally formed shaft and roller tool and friotionally drive the same under the influence of centrifugal force imparted thereto through rotation 'of said element, and said axially aligned shaft receiving grooves simultaneously serving to restrain inward radially movement of said integrally formed shaft and roller tool to retain the movement of said roller tool in a constant radius orbital path and absorb the impact shock of the cyclic engagement between said roller tool and the workpiece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 562,259 Stubblebine June 16, 1896 771,611 Davis Oct. 4, 1904 802,048 Lambert et a1. Oct. 17, 1905 1,622,744 Stiefel Mar. 29, 1927 1,923,782 George Aug. 22, 1933 2,715,846 Grob Aug. 23, 1955 2,807,178 Grob Sept. 24, 1957 

1. IN A HIGH SPEED PLANETARY ROLLING MACHINE INCLUDING A STATIONARY FRAME THE COMBINATION OF A ROLLER TOOL MOUNTING AND DRIVING MEANS, SAID MOUNTING AND DRIVING MEANS COMPRISING A HOUSING SECURED TO THE FRAME, AN ELEMENT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED AXIALLY ALIGNED SUBSTANTIALLY SEMI-CIRCULAR SHAFTS RECEIVING GROOVES INTERRUPTING THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID ROTATABLE ELEMENT, A SHAFT JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION IN SAID AXIALLY ALIGNED GROOVES, SAID GROOVES SERVING TO RETAIN SAID SHAFT AGAINST INWARD RADIAL MOVEMENT, A ROLLER TOOL FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SAID SHAFT AND DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, A PAIR OF SPACED FIXEDLY POSITIONED MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID HOUSING, AN INNER CYLINDRICAL SURFACE ON EACH OF SAID MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY CONTACTING AND OVERLYING A PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID SHAFT AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ROLLER TOOL, SAID CYLINDRICAL INNER SURFACE ON SAID FIXEDLY POSITIONED MEMBERS SERVING TO RESTRAIN OUTWARD RADIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID INTEGRALLY FORMED SHAFT AND ROLLER TOOL AND FRICTIONALLY DRIVE THE SAME UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CENTRIFUGAL FORCE IMPARTED THERETO THROUGH ROTATION OF SAID ELEMENT, AND SAID AXIALLY ALIGNED SHAFT RECEIVING GROOVES SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVING TO RESTRAIN INWARD RADIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID INTEGRALLY FORMED SHAFT AND ROLLER TOOL WHEREBY THE RADIUS OF THE PLANETARY PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID ROLLER TOOL REMAINS FIXED AT ALL TIMES. 